North Korea has been conducting regular wintertime military drills without showing any unusual moves ahead of the birthday of late leader Kim Jong-il, the South Korean military said Tuesday.

North Korea celebrated the 73rd anniversary Monday of the foundation of its army and has another key national holiday coming up, which is the Feb. 16 birthday of its late leader, the father of current leader Kim Jong-un.

"North Korea's military is continuing wintertime exercises and has not shown any unusual moves," Joint Chiefs of Staff spokesperson Col. Kim Jun-rak told a regular briefing.

The drills began in December and are expected to end around March.

In 2018, the North held a massive military parade showing off weapons and military hardware to mark the 70th army founding anniversary. But the country has since not held such events, as big celebrations usually take place on every fifth or 10th anniversary.

Later in the day, JCS Chairman Gen. Won In-choul visited South Korea's Fleet Command in the southeastern port city of Busan to check military readiness, according to the JCS. 

Won instructed service members to ensure operational capabilities that can proceed like a "conditioned reflex" to win in any military operation.

Won also received a briefing on the status of the unit's naval operations and checked its missions to detect and track missiles when he visited the battle command center of a key destroyer there. (Yonhap)